


at least i know i am here to stay

by fairyy



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, they meet because phil is clumsy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:21:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29120385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairyy/pseuds/fairyy
Summary: It starts with a spilled coffee cup. Dan maintains that it wasn’t a meet-cute. A meet-annoying, more like.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56
Collections: Phandomreversebang face the music





	at least i know i am here to stay

**Author's Note:**

> this was a struggle. thank you to thought and sage for cheerleading!

It starts with a spilled coffee cup. Dan maintains that it wasn’t a meet-cute. A meet-annoying, more like. 

(Phil insists that it was a-meet cute.

“My clumsiness is endearing!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, shut up.”)

“Ow!” Dan yells, jerking back. 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, I swear,” the stranger stammers, looking horrified. 

“It’s fine.” It really isn’t fine. It’s hot and sticky and -

“Mate. Are you already getting pumpkin spice lattes?” The smell really is quite strong. It’s October 2nd, and personally, Dan thinks that’s why too early for any sort of seasonal drink. 

He laughs. “That’s your response?”

“Um.” The man is really quite attractive, and Dan seems to have lost his speaking abilities. Good thing his shirt is black, he thinks. 

“Let me buy you coffee,” the coffee spilling stranger asks. 

“But it’s your drink.”

“And now it’s all over you.”

Dan looks down at his phone. “I have to run, but I wouldn’t be opposed.”

He leaves with a number.

-

Dan debates on texting Phil, that’s the stranger’s name, the whole time he’s at work. 

His mind is a spiral of questions such as: is it too soon to text? Did Phil just feel bad for him? Was he given a fake number?

He looks down and notices he’s been chewing his nails. Fuck. He’s really been trying to break that habit. 

Maybe he’ll pick up some more nail polish at the store later, if he gets around to it. 

-

Dan texts four hours later, after some intense overthinking of how to word his message.

Dan worked himself up in a frenzy before he sent Phil a text and turned off his phone. 

When he turned it back on, Phil had said yes. 

They get coffee two days later.

Dan would have preferred a local shop, but Phil has chosen Starbucks, and Dan can’t say he minds all that much. 

“I’m paying,” Phil insists. 

Dan shrugs. “Fine by me.”

Phil brings them back two drinks. He places Dan’s in front of him. 

Dan takes a sip and wrinkles his nose. 

“Sorry, are you like vegan, or anything? I forgot to ask,” Phil says. 

Dan snorts. “Sometimes, actually. I assume this has real milk in it, so not today.”

“I can return it!”

Dan takes a big gulp instead. 

“God, it tastes so much better with real milk.”

“It really does. I’m lactose intolerant so I shouldn’t be drinking it as often as I do, but you know. Tasty.”

Dan makes a face. “Whatever you say, mate.”

-

One coffee turns into two, a stolen kiss at the end of a walk home, turns into video games and late nights. 

“So you're telling me, you don’t like cheese, but you’ll eat an entire pizza?”

Phil rolls his eyes. “It’s not the same when it’s pizza! There’s other flavours. Also, mozzarella doesn’t taste of anything!”

Dan rolls his eyes and grabs another slice. 

-

“Eat my… goddamn shells!”

“What the fuck are you on about?”

Phil flops back dramatically on the sofa. 

“I promise you I’m good at this.”

“I’m really only like this because I have very few friends.”

“Stop that. Now, I demand a rematch.”

-

“It’s colder than I thought it would be.”

They climbed the stairs of Dan’s apartment to “look at the stars,” according to Phil. Dan will admit it is chilly. 

“Do you want my jacket?” he asks anyway. 

“Really?”

Dan shrugs. “I’m not that cold.”

“Alright then.” It’s dark, but Dan’s pretty sure he sees Phil’s cheeks pinken. 

The jacket hangs a little looser on Phil than it does on Dan. It’s cute. He should not like it as much as he does. 

Dan sits on the ground, back against the wall. “Come here,” he says, holding out his arms.

Phil goes, leaning back into Dan’s chest. 

“You’re warmer than the jumper.”

-

“Of course you can’t see any stars. It’s London.”

“Well normally you can see a few. It’s foggy tonight.”

“Okay, bub.”

“Look, maybe it’s not about the stars.”

Dan hums. “What’s it about then.”

“I think it’s sweet. Kind of romantic.”

“It would be better if we could actually see something.”

Phil shoves Dan’s shoulder. “Shut up.”

-

“I feel like I should have a cigarette or something, like in one of those films.”

“I can see it.”

“When I was about twelve my mum caught me trying to smoke. It was awful.”

Dan laughs. “Were you a good kid?”

“I’d say I was. But mostly I was just a bit awkward, and… closeted.”

“Me too,” Dan sighs. “My school years were not anything I want to remember. Repress that shit.”

Phil kisses Dan on the cheek. 

-

“Oh fuck, is that rain?”

“I think it is.”

As soon as it’s out, it starts pouring. Dan grabs Phil’s hand and they run back to the stairs. 

“I have some joggers you can borrow if you want to put your stuff in the dryer.”

“Alright. Thanks.”

-

They sit cuddled together on the couch, half watching a film, listening to the sounds of the rain. 

Dan runs his hands over Phil’s forearm. 

“What did you do?” he asks, seeing an angry looking bruise on the outside of it. 

“I ran into a table.”

“You have no spatial awareness, do you?”

“Hey, if I had been a person who could stand upright we wouldn’t be here right now.”

“I guess that’s true. Idiot.”

They fall silent for a while. 

“You should stay. It’s too wet out there, and you know. Other reasons.”

“Oh? Tell me more about those other reasons.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Dan says, and kisses him hard. 

-

They’re back on the roof again. Phil insists they should take advantage of the clear sky.

Turns out, a clear sky in London isn’t much better, but it’s enough to make out Orion’s Belt. 

“You’re so pretty.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

Dan feels his face get hot. “No,” he whines. “I think that’s you.”

Phil chuckles. “Agree to disagree, then.”  
They’re silent for a bit, but it’s comfortable. It’s been a long time since he’s felt that way about anyone.

“He thought the view was pretty, but I thought he was prettier,” Phil says, stopping to laugh every few words. 

“Shut the fuck up, you absolute idiot. Do you want me to leave? Because I will. I will walk down those stairs right now -”

Phil half tackles Dan from behind. “I didn’t mean it, don’t go,” he laughs.

“No you absolutely did, you fucker. You have to buy me breakfast now.”

“Fine. Worth it.”

-

Dan’s favorite season is fall. It used to be winter, but there’s something about October. Maybe it’s the pumpkin spice lattes, but maybe, it’s falling in love.

**Author's Note:**

> reblog on tumblr


End file.
